35 things to have achieved by the time I'm 35

It's been a long while since I've sat down and written a blog post. It has been a crazy busy year of working hard and saving my pennies up, and taking the massive plunge in deciding to go travelling the world for a whole year. I am now only 18 days away from embarking on my trip of a lifetime and I am such a mix of excited and nervous! My trip consists of South America, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia, so some of my bucket list below will be ticked off during this time.

Initially I had planned to do a '30 things to do before I turn 30 years old' blog post, but by the time I come back from travelling I will be almost 29 so that doesn't give me much time to tick off the rest! I am currently 27 so I have given myself 7 and a half years to complete the below list - I really hope I manage to do it!

I will be writing some posts regarding my route and packing list before I leave and then I am hoping to keep up the blogging whilst I am away, updating as often as I can - who knows when I will and will not have wifi?! If you don't already, you can follow me on instagram here as I am sure I will be posting photographs of my trip daily!

1. Climb Machu Picchu, Peru

2. Scuba dive in Fiji

3. Get a bamboo tattoo in Thailand

4. Sky dive in New Zealand

5. Move into my first home

6. Go on an American road trip including Route 66 and the Hollywood stars

7. Celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

8. Go white water rafting

9. Celebrate King's Day in Amsterdam

10. Adventure to Japan

11. See the Northern Lights in Iceland

12. Put a padlock on the Love Lock Bridge, Paris

13. Learn some sign language

14. Visit Copenhagen, Denmark

15. Ride a gondella in Venice

16. Take pole dancing/aerial aerobics classes

17. Go to Disneyland and wear Minnie Mouse ears the whole time

18. Visit Barcelona

19. Experience Christmas somewhere hot

20. Do a Tough Mudder obstacle race

21. Go to a Fright Night at Thorpe Park

22. Volunteer at an animal sanctuary

23. Go skiing

24. Train for a marathon

25. Learn a second language

26. Visit the Cirque du Soleil and gamble in Vegas

27. Go skinny dipping

28. Take up some new hobbies such as calligraphy, yoga, sewing and cooking classes

29. Totally dejunk my life of unnecessary homeware and clothes

30. Learn to change a tyre

31. Go for a night of Bingo

32. Be more experimental with my hair

33. Take a surfing lesson

34. Become a vegetarian

35. Take a ride in a vintage car in Havana, Cuba

Please let me know if you've accomplished any of these already!

Do you have a bucket list of things you're working towards?

Thanks for reading - love Dani :) x

Places to eat - Mazel Tov, Budapest

Budapest is somewhere I had wanted to visit for a long time. Multiple friends has told me about the hot baths and ruins bars so I was really keen to visit, but it ended up being so much better than I expected. I intend to write a few posts about Budapest as we had such a fun time and there was literally so many different things to do, food to try and places to explore.

On our first day we arrived around at lunch time, found our Air BnB to drop off our bags and went to explore the Jewish Quarter. We had heard of Mazel Tov and therefore planned to go there at some point, but we ended up stumbling across it and decided to go for a late lunch.

Could I please have these lights in my hallway?! I think we were all a bit in awe when we first stood in the entrance of Mazel Tov as we suddenly went from a quiet, dusty street to a really modern hallway with quirky lights and beautiful greenery. The interior is so Pinterest/ instagram-able!

We found ourselves a table and ordered ourselves a drink. The temperature was absolutely boiling when we were there, but Mazel Tov had a lovely shaded outside dining and bar area for us to cool down. We each ordered an alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink and browsed the menus.

The cuisine is Middle Eastern which was simply delicious. Apologies for not getting better pictures of the food - we were all so hungry after our early flight and I didn't want to be "that person"... I was pretty hungry myself too! We all went for something different off the menu but the mix of falafel, chicken, hummus, pitta bread, veg and sweet potato was so delicious. I would honestly go back in a heartbeat, my mouth is actually watering a little bit at the thought of the food.

I actually ordered my first ever Aperol Spritz with the girls at Mazel Tov. They had told me I would either love or hate it, and luckily I loved it as they pretty much became our drink of choice through-out the rest of the holiday. I'm a little bit addicted to these now and they're the perfect cooling down drink!

From the ruin pub entrance alone, you would have no idea that such a cute little restaurant, bar and garden would be inside with such modern decor. I love the hanging ivy surrounding the venue, the painted hamsa hand mural and the buzzing yet relaxed atmosphere. Everything was so nice to look at and even the toilets had fun cowboy saloon doors.

 We enjoyed ourselves so much the first time that we ended up popping back one evening for a little cocktail before heading out to the other ruins bars. The atmosphere at night time was lovely with more of a bar setting and lots of cute fairy lights.

If you would like to visit yourself, the address is: Akacfa utca 47, Budapest 1073, Hungary

Thank you for reading! :)

Have you ever been to Budapest before?

Would you visit Mazel Tov?

Would you like to see more travel posts on my blog?

Love Dani x

Dying my hair silver - L'Oreal Smartbond at Regis Hair Salons!

I've not been the kindest to my hair over the years. I've experimented with a lot of colours - from peroxide blonde to XXL black, and bright red to DIY ombre. You may have seen recently that I made the brave plunge to dye my hair pink. It was something I had always wanted to do, and I am glad that I have ticked that one off the bucket list as it was definitely fun while it lasted, but after a few weeks I decided that I wanted to a more wearable hair colour again.

Around the time I was wandering how on earth I would get the pink out of my hair (silly me for leaving the product on for 45 minutes instead of the suggested 15 minutes, not one for following the rules), I was invited by Regis Hair Salon to try out their new Smartbond treatment*. I had never heard of this specific treatment before, but I was definitely intrigued as the treatment sounds like it would allow me to continue experimenting with hair colours, whilst protecting my hair in the process.

Prior to the colour treatment and Smartbond itself, I had to pop into the salon for a skin test and colour consultation with my hairdresser. You will need to have a skin test beforehand if you would like a Smartbond treatment, and a colour consultantion with the stylist just means that you can both prepare for your appointment beforehand.

This new three-part treatment, Smartbond, has been scientifically designed to protect the bonds in your hair, allowing the stylist to prevent the usual damage that is caused during a colouring service. The treatment, similar to Olaplex, can be easily fitted into your normal colour service. You can see from the photo below that I still had quite a bit of pink left in my hair so I was really curious as to how the condition of my hair would feel after it had been stripped of pink and dyed silver again.

The three steps of the treatment are as follows:

Step 1. Your hairdresser will mix the first treatment in with your hair dye colour or bleach. This will protect and strengthen your hair while the colour itself starts to develop. I had originally thought that this treatment was just for bleached hair, but after discussing with my hairdresser, it can be used on all dyed hair - light or dark!

Step 2. Next, your hairdresser will rinse the colour or bleach from your hair, and apply a pre-shampoo treatment. This will totally rinse away any chemical residue, which could weaken your hair if left.

Step 3. The final step of the treatment is where you take the matter into your own hands and it is to be completed at home. It is a conditioning treatment that you can use weekly to continuously strengthen the fibres of your hair in-between salon visits.

The treatment itself is super affordable. It is an additional £5 when you are already having a colour treatment at a Regis Hair Salon, or it is £15 to have the treatment alone. Time wise, the only waiting around was for ten minutes once the pre-shampoo treatment was applied, but after getting a full head of highlights for many years, I'm used to waiting around a lot longer than that for my hair! 

My fabulous hairdresser added a blue toner to my hair once my full head of highlights and Smartbond treatment had been completed. I didn't even have a haircut and the condition of my hair felt the best it had felt in weeks. I had my hair blow dried and straightened a little, and I cannot believe how soft it immediately felt without even adding any argan oil. All in all, I am very pleased with the results of my Smartbond treatment experience and I have been using my Step 3 product every few washes to keep my hair feeling healthy before my next dye.

As you can see, after a few washes the blue toner had been rinsed from my hair (as toners usually do), and a lovely silvery colour was left. I would definitely pay the £5 to have this treatment again next time I get my hair dyed. For such a small amount of money you can definitely feel the difference in your hair, and I'm going to be taking note to see if my hair grows as it seems to have come to a halt since I've been bleaching it. You can read more about Smartbond Colour Bonding here.

*This post has not been sponsored, but I was given a complimentary colour dye & Smartbond treatment courtesy of Regis Salons.

Thank you for reading :)
Had you heard of this treatment before?

Would you consider getting this treatment next time you have your hair dyed?

Love Dani x

Favourite bloggers of the month #6

Life has really got in the way of my blog lately and it makes me so sad. I really love blogging and I really love reading other blogs, so it was definitely time for my favourite bloggers of the month blog posts to make a return! The three ladies in this months posts have been favourites for quite some time now, and I have read their blogs for as long as I can remember. I hope you find someone new to have a little style stalk of :)
__________________________________________

First on my list is the beautiful Charlotte of Lurchhound Loves. I've lusted over her wardrobe for many years, watched her get engaged and married, watched her nose job diaries on her YouTube channel and just loved her blog and outfits. I love the way she layers quite simplistic clothes to give them a really unique look, definitely get following her!

Hi Charlotte! Introduce yourself and your blog?

Charlotte Buttrick (formerly Lewis), 30 / Digital Outreach Specialist & Style Blogger / Macclesfield, Cheshire

My blog originally started as a hobby, to share my weekend activities with my rescued Lurcher Brody.  After attending a fashion bloggers event through a friend's invite and discovering fashion blogging, my interests online switched from lifestyle to what I was wearing and that's where it all started. Also, my partner plays a lot of golf at the weekend. So blogging started as something to fill my time with and quickly became a passion, then an obsession and addiction. 

Where does your blog name come from?

Lurchhoundloves comes from my initial set up for my blog to be about lifestyle and my Lurcher Brody, who is a Lurcher / Wolfhound mix. Hence Lurchhound and then loves - Lurchhoundloves - as in the things I love. 

Now I am kind of stuck with it and have been toying with changing my blog name to something more fashion related. But, as I feel I've started to build a brand after 4 years, it would seem silly to change it. But perhaps it is something I will do in the future. 

Where are your favourite places to shop for clothes and accessories?

I love the high street for buying my clothes. My usual go to online store for anything is ASOS. But, lately I have become obsessed with Boohoo and Topshop. And may be guilty of spending on the sites every week ATM 🙊 

For my accessories, specifically bags and sunglasses, I prefer to invest in high end pieces that are classic and will stand the test of time. My favourites being my Gucci loafers, Gucci belt - best investment btw that goes with everything in my wardrobe - and my Givenchy Antigona.

Having said that I also love designer dupes for getting the look for less. Recent favourites are my J W Anderson pierce bag dupe and Givenchy boot dupes from Jessica Buurman, which are only about £100 each (basically 10% of the price of the real thing and their quality is amazing too!)

Do you have a favourite style icon?

I wouldn't say I have a favourite style icon as such. I tend to get my inspiration from magazines and merchandising / models online, such as Zara lookbooks and brand emails.

But, if I had to say anyone it would be Rosie Huntington Whitely. Not only is she my woman crush but I love her classic but laid back style and how amazing she looks in everything from denim to dresses. Although, I wouldn't say my style reflects hers. But it is definitely a style I admire, just like Sienna Miller's too.

Which song/songs do you have on repeat recently?

I have always been a Paramore fan girl. So at the moment I have been playing their new album on repeat! 

Which item of clothing can you not stop wearing recently?

My Gucci belt. It really is the best investment I've made that seems to go with any outfit I throw on. Apart from that, I basically live in denim and trainers whilst at work and I am obsessed with a lace up pair I have from H&M for the Summer and my Balenciaga Race Runners.

You can also follow Charlotte on instagram, YouTube, twitter and read her blog here :)

__________________________________________

There has been way too many times when I have seen a piece of clothing or accessory on Chloe, and then next thing I know it's in my basket, and then on it's way to being delivered to me. Her style and wardrobe is very similar to mine - all black everything, with a pop of grey, white or floral. I love the way she layers pieces together and she is just bloody adorable! Go get following this girl if you don't already!

Hi Chloe! Introduce yourself and your blog?

Hi! My name is Chloe, and I’m the v. short person behind the fashion and lifestyle blog The Little Plum. I started blogging way back when I was 17, but of course, being 17, I didn’t really keep it up. Fast forward two years to me dropping out of my first year of uni and I desperately needed a creative outlet – TLP became that outlet, and here we are, over 4 years later.

Where does your blog name come from?

My last name is Plumstead and during primary school, everybody referred to my older brother as ‘Plum’. Being the younger and shorter one, I became ‘The Little Plum’ by default.

Where are your favourite places to shop for clothes and accessories?

I’m a high street girl through and through (although that’s thanks to my wallet, rather than my taste haha). You’ll usually find me scouring Zara and Mango, although New Look and Next are pulling some bangers out at the moment.

Do you have a favourite style icon?

I love everything Alexa Chung has done, including Alex Turner… All jokes aside, she achieves effortless chic like nobody else, and maintains a sense of humour alongside it. Love her.

Which song/songs do you have on repeat recently?

In Cold Blood – Alt J, Feel The Way I Do – The Jungle Giants and Say To Me – WHTKD.

Which item of clothing can you not stop wearing recently?

I bought a pair of petite light-wash jeans from Topshop last year, and now the weather has started to brighten up, I haven’t taken them off.

You can also follow Chloe on Twitter, Instagram and read her blog here :)

__________________________________________

Oh lovely, lovely Leigh. Not only has she been a blogger that I have admired for years, but I was lucky enough to meet her through blogging and end up being her intern when she was working at Oh My Love. She's a total babe and she's currently completing a personal mission of #Leighs12in12 where she is visiting 12 cities in 12 months. I am loving reading these posts and seeing her travels on instagram so definitely check it out!

Hi Leigh! Introduce yourself and your blog?

My name’s Leigh, I’m 26 and based in London. I work in social media & PR for music festivals by day and I blog over at Fox & Feather by night. I started my current blog back during university as a creative outlet to document my love for secondhand and vintage fashion. I was initially torn between studying fashion and illustration at university and because I opted for the latter, my blog become a convenient way to keep up with my interests in styling.

Where does your blog name come from?

I’ll be honest and admit there’s not much meaning behind my blog name other than foxes are one of my favourite animals and I have an unusual obsession with feathers. Plus, I just really like alliteration.

Where are your favourite places to shop for clothes and accessories?

I shop mainly in charity shops and vintage shops because you end up finding unique, one-off pieces you can’t find anywhere else!

(Photo credit: Fordtography)

Do you have a favourite style icon?

I have so, so many! I take a lot of influence from the ‘it’ girls of the 60s & 70s including Marianne Faithfull, Anita Pallenburg, Jane Birkin, Pamela De Barres, Pamela Courson and Bebe Buell. I also take a lot of inspiration from David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger when it comes to styling my outfits.

Which song/songs do you have on repeat recently?

I’ve had Childish Gambino’s album, Awaken My Love, on repeat for months now. I’m dying to see him live.

Which item of clothing can you not stop wearing recently?

I picked up this embroidered, mirrored, oversized jacket from a vintage shop and I have not stopped wearing it since I bought it, even if it does clash drastically with my outfit!

You can also follow Leigh on instagram, Facebook, twitter, Pinterest and read her blog here :)

Thanks for reading :)

I hope you've found some lovely new blogs to follow!

Did you already follow all these girlies?

Love Dani

x 

Bands I'm most excited for at 2000 Trees Festival 2017!

I bloody love a good festival. I haven't been to one in a couple of years and next weekend I am off to 2000 Trees with my cousin and a few friends, and I literally cannot wait. I hadn't heard of this festival before, but after looking at the line up I just knew that I had to go. Not only are the bands themselves going to be amazing, but the vibe of the whole festival sounds so good. There is an acoustic stage set up in the forest with hammocks - I definitely cannot wait to chill there! They also have a specific day where everyone has to wear fancy dress (a guilty pleasure of mine). The festival goers were able to vote for the fancy dress theme and this year it was decided as '2000 Trees On The High Seas' so a lovely mix of pirates, mermaids, rum and surfers - I best get outfit planning really!

(Photo credit)

I've decided to compile a little list of the bands I am most excited to see. Luckily for me, I have checked the timings and there seems to be no major clashes between bands! There are a couple which overlap by a few songs but that I can handle. Check them out and let me know if you discover any new bands!

The Front Bottoms

The Menzingers

Slaves

Deaf Havana

Mallory Knox

Spring King

Fizzy Blood

Pulled Apart By Horses

Dinosaur Pile-Up

Gnarwolves

Nothing But Theives

Some others which I couldn't find YouTube videos for on Blogger:

Feed The Rhino / The Wonder Years /  Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes / Strange Bones

You can check out the rest of the bands playing here:

Thank you for reading :)

Are you off to any festivals this year?

Which is your favourite band that is playing 2000 Trees 2017?
Are there any bands I haven't mentioned that you think I should check out?

Love Dani x